Chennai airport available for day time operations

The heaviest rainfall in Chennai in over a century has caused massive flooding across the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, driving thousands from their homes, shutting auto factories and paralysing the airport in the state capital Chennai.

The airport would open at 6 AM and flights would operate till day light is there, he said.

Chennai airport had suspended flights till Sunday in the wake of floods.

Airports Authority of India chairman R K Shrivastava in New Delhi said that around 250-300 passengers are stranded at the Chennai airport.

Today, four ferry flights that were parked at Chennai airport departed for Delhi, Mumbai and Port Blair.

According to a statement issued by the civil aviation ministry, as on 5.30 p.m. on Friday, the water has receded in the manoeuvring area at Chennai airport and the runways and the taxiways are clear of water. Two flights of Indigo and one each of Spicejet and Trujet evacuated 319 people from there. One cargo flight Singcargo B747 also departed for Singapore via Bangalore.

Sharma said commercial flight services can not be resumed at the airport as of now.

A complete 34 plane of varied airways have been stranded on the airport because of the flooding brought on by torrential rains. The operations at the airport have been suspended after water entered the runway following incessant rains for over a week now. “The state of affairs is being intently monitored and any additional motion can be taken topic to evaluate for resumption of providers as quickly as attainable”, the AAI, which runs the airport, had stated on December 2.

These passengers will be airlifted from the Chennai airport to Tambaram and Arakkonam airbase of the air force, he added.